Dear Editor,

Dog control is a hot issue because people develop emotional attachments to their dogs and emotion precludes reason.

Let’s try to look at reality.

First of all, dogs (with rare exception) are predators and killers, and they kill for the thrill of it. A loose dog is out killing any creature it can find.

I lost 60 chickens to a couple of “loving family pets,” and the few they didn’t kill and dismember were crippled and mangled. They have chased my horses, killed my sheep, goats and geese. They have dismembered deer while still living. Keeping your dog in your yard shows you care about others and can get beyond selfish gratification.

Another side to the coin is that letting your beloved dog run is exposing it to the chance of getting hit on the highway and maybe causing a fatal wreck. Your are also exposing them to poisons both accidental and deliberate. They roll in garbage and filth. They stir up the neighborhood dogs to incessant barking. They defecate in other’s flower beds and yards.

People who really care about others and their own dogs don’t let them run loose. Ordinances and officers are made necessary by inconsiderate and selfish people. Of course, if everyone “loved their neighbor as yourself,” there would be a lot of cops looking for work.

Russ Talbott

New Castle